Stalk cutting device



April 4, 1953 J. B. JARMIN 2,634,568

STALK CUTTING DEVICE Filed Aug. 25, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 I gnaw/MM James B. alarm/r1 April 14, 1953 J. B. JARMIN 2,634,568

STALK CUTTING DEVICE Filed Aug. 25, 1947 3 SheetsSheet 5 Patented Apr. 14, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in stalk cutting devices, and in particular to cotton stalk cutters, or shredders.

The invention is directed primarily to a device for cutting the stalks of a standing crop into relatively short lengths and simultaneously scattering the pieces of the stalks in a broadcast manner over the surface of the ground to act as a mulch or to be plowed under while the stalk is green for fertilizing and soil improving purposes.

One object of the invention is to provide a cutting device having a plurality of rapidly moving cutter blades which thoroughly cut and shred a standing crop while, at the same time, scattering the pieces of the plants thus cut in a widespread or broadcast manner over the surface of the ground.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved cutting device having a pair of cutter assemblies rotating in a vertical plane, the pair of assemblies being spaced apart a distance equal the distance between adjacent rows of the standing crop whereby a pair of contiguous crop rows may be cut and spread at one time.

An important object of the invention is to provide an improved chopping device having a pluvide an improved cutting device adapted to be driven from the power take-off of the usual farm tractor, and wherein provision is made for permitting the cutter assemblies of the cutting device to override the power drive and prevent injury to the device upon a sudden stoppage of rotation of said power drive.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an improved chopping device having provision for adjusting the cutting knives of the cutting assemblies to accommodate various crop and soil conditions, and also having provision for protecting the operator of the tractor which draws the device from debris and cuttings thrown out by the cutter blades in the course of their rotation.

A particular object of the invention is to provide an improved cutting device having a T-shaped frame with wheel supports carried by the ends of the bar of the T, said supports making provisicn for the mounting of ground wheels and providing an unobstructed area in which the cutter as semblies may rotate and at the same time com pleting a one-piece, unitary frame which, while extremely simple in structure is, at the same time, very rigid and durable and has a minimum of structural elements,

A. construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described together with other features of the invention.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein an example of the invention is shown, and wherein:

Fig. l is a side elevation, partly broken away. of a cutting device constructed in accordance with this invention,

Fig. 2 is a plan view, partly broken away, of

one side of the device,

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation with the housings removed,

Fig. 4 is a vertical, longitudinal, sectional view,

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal, sectional view of the override connection taken along line'5-5 of Fig 6,

Fig. 6 is a vertical, transverse, sectional view of the override connection taken at right angles to the drive shaft of the cutting device as illustrated in Fig, 4,

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a modified form of the cutting device,

Fig. '8 is a fragmentary plan view, partly broken away, of the modified device,

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary, vertical, sectional view taken on the line 99 of Fig. '7, and

Fig. 10 is an enlarged view of the wheel mounting employed in the modified form.

In the drawings, the-numeral I0 designates the frame of a cotton' stalk cutter or chopper constructed in accordance with this invention. The frame includes an elongate, horizontal tubular center support or main frame member H which may be formed of a. length of ordinary pipe or any other suitable material. A suitable tractor hitch I2, which may be of any desired type, is provided upon the forward end of the frame H, while a. horizontal, transverse, crossouter ends of the member 13, one of the frames Hi being provided upon each side the central member I I and projecting forwardly and horizonta1ly from said member I3 in parallel and horizontal alinement with said frame member l I. In this manner, a unitary frame or support is provided having a principal central frame element (the member H) with a pair of laterallyp-rojecting frame structures (the frame member 13 and the frames l4) secured upon the rearward end of the main frame element and projecting to each side thereof so as to enclose partially an area on each side of the rearward portion of said main frame element without encumbering or obstructing the space immediately above, below or in front of such space orarea. A supporting bracket I5 is secured upon the forward end of each of the side frames Id, each of the brackets having a pair of spaced, parallel, forwardly-extending ears I6. The ears 86 are disposed in a vertical plane and carry horizontal openings ll which are in horizontal alinement. A substantially Z-shaped, cantilever wheel support It is provided at each side of the frame Ill. The supports l8 include elongate central portions !9 having inwardly-turned studs or trunnions 26 at one end and outwardly turned axles 2! at their oppositeends. The trunnions 20 are received within the openings I! of the brackets I5 with the balance of the wheel support 18 being positioned outwardly of the side frames It. The central portions [9 of the wheel supports are thus positioned in a vertical plane parallel to the longitudinal axis of the frame and extend rearwardly and downwardly from the brackets is, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Since the trunnions 20 are free to rotate within the openings H, the rearward ends of the wheel supports are free to swing in a vertical are about such openings as a center. A suitable pin 22 extends through the inner end of each of the trunnions within the innermost car it of the brackets [5 in which the support is pivoted so as to prevent outward displacement of said trunnions from the openings H. The outwardly-extending axle 2| of each of the wheel supports receives a suitable ground wheel 23, whereby the latter are positioned outwardly or laterally with respect to the member ii and serve to support and space said member a redetermined distance above the surface of the ground.

For controlling the swinging movement of the supports I8 and thereby the spacing of the frame it from the ground surface, a suitable elongate arm 24 is secured by welding or by other suitable means to each of the trunnions 26 immediately outward of the outermost ear It; in which said trunnion is disposed. The arms 24 project at substantially right angles with respect to the supports it, as shown in Fig. 1 so as to extend upwardly and rearwardly from the trunnions. A pair of elongate operating levers have their lower ends pivotally mounted upon the transverse frame member l3, one of such levers being provided at each outer or lateral end of said frame member. Thus, one of the operating levers is provided for each of the wheel supports [8. The levers 25 are pivotally connected to the upper ends of the arms 24 by elongate links 23, whereby movement of said levers in a vertical are above the transverse frame member it results in swinging of said arms in a vertical are above the bracket i5 and vertical movement of the axles 2| along with the wheels 23 with respect to the frame 10. The wheel supports 18 4 and arms 24 thus constitute, in effect, bell crank levers which may be adjusted to position the ground wheels 23 selectively with respect to the frame it and thereby regulate and control the vertical spacing of said frame above the surface of the ground.

Each of the levers 25 carries a suitable handle 27 at its upper end and a suitable trigger 23 is pivotally connected to each of the levers adjacent said handles." The triggers 28 are connected through rods 29 to pawls 39 which engage toothed ratchets 3E secured to the transverse frame member i3 adjacent the lower ends of the levers. The pawl and ratchet mechanisms allow the levers 25 to be locked or secured in any desired position so that the ground wheels may arbitrarily be adjusted to the desired height and locked in such'position by means of engagement of the pawls 30 with the ratchets 3!. A suitable coiled spring 32 is stretched between the upper endof each of the arms 2d and a suitable adjustable bracket 33 afiixed to the rearward portion of the side frame it with which the arm is asso-' ciated. Being under tension, the springs 32 tend to move the arms 24 rearwardly so as to move'the Wheels 23 downwardly, and the net effect of the springs is to counteract to some extent the tendency of the wheels to move upwardly with respect to theframe ii) under the influence of the weight of such frame. Thus, the

selective positioning of the levers 25 to raise or lower the frame it with respect to the ground level is facilitated and rendered much easier to accomplish. Being adjustable, the brackets 33 allow a certain degree of regulation of the force exerted by the springs 32 to balance very nearly the weight of the frame H3, whereby one man may easily and readily accomplish the. desired adjustment of the levers 25 without being required to exert undue force and effort in eiTecting such an adjustment.

A horizontal mounting plate 34 is secured upon the upper side of the central frame member H by welding or other suitable means, the plate being positioned in alinement with and between the ground wheels 23. Suitable gussets 35 extend downwardly from the under side of the plate 36 to the sides of the member H forbracing the plate and furnishing additional rigidity and security thereto. A laterally-directed pillow block bearing 35 is secured upon each lateraledge of the plate 34 by suitable bolts 33/ The bearings 35 receive an elongate transverse shaft 3? which extends across the width of the frame It and has its outer ends terminating in approximate vertical alinement with the inner portion of the side frames E4. The shaft fi'lthus constitutes a pair of stub shafts 33 one of which extends lat-.

orally and horizontally from each side of the center frame member 5 5 toward and adjacent the side frames l4 positioned upon either side of said center frame member. Each of the stub shafts 38 has secured thereon a pair of mounting hubs 39, one of said hubs being positioned adjacent the outer end of the shaft while the other is positioned upon the inner portion of the shaft immediately outward of the bearing 35 in which said shaft is supported. A plurality of cutter yokes 49 are secured in equally spaced relation upon the hubs 39, one set of such yokes being provided for each of the stub shafts 38 and being secured to the hubs 39 carried by said shafts.

The yokes it) are formed of elongate bars or straps having their outer ends bent through slightly more than ninety degrees so as to form position the plate M in spaced, parallel relation with respect to the shaft 38. Each yoke has one of its legs secured to one of the hubs 39 carried by one of the stub shafts 38 with the other leg of that yoke being secured to the other hub of that shaft. Thus, each yoke is connected to the hubs of one shaft only and each shaft carries its 3 separate set of yokes.

A'cutter blade 44 is secured by bolts 45 to the outer surface of each of the plates 4:, the legs 42 of the yokes being of sufiicient length as to place said cutter blade in close proximity to the horizontal plane of the ground surface upon which the wheels 23 rest. Of course, as the ground wheels are vertically adjusted with respect to the frame III, the cutting periphery is moved closer or further away from the ground surface. In this manner, the adjustment of the wheels 23 by means of the levers 25 allows a regulation of the cutting height of said blades. The shafts 38 are adapted to rotate in the same direction as the ground wheels 23 and for this reason the cutting edge 46 of each of the blades 44 is positioned upon the rearward edge of said blade so that the latter accomplish a cutting action when rotating in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1. Thus, as the shafts 33 are rotated, the blades 44 are caused to pass in successive relation over the surface of the ground and to cut and chop any standing plants or crops which may be projecting thereabove. Each set of yokes as represents a cutting cylinder or reel having a plurality of cutting blades which move in a vertical circle as the cutting device is drawn along the crop rows. The shafts 38 are rotated at a relatively high speed so that the blades 44 cut a cylindrical swath-as the device advances. Thus, each plant standing in the crop row is cut a number of times as the cutting device moves into engagement therewith. As the device approaches the plants, the uppermost portion of the latter will be lopped off .by one of the cutter blades as said blade reaches the vertical elevation of the top of the plant. The following blade will out another small section from the upper portion of the plant since in the period of time required for the next cutter blade to move into cutting position, the entire cutting device will have moved forwardly a very short distance. In this manner, successive cutting blades each cut a small portion from the plant until the device has moved forwardly to a point wherein the plant directly underlies the shaft 38. At this point, the next cutter moving into a bottom dead center position will cut the remaining small portion left standing of said plant so that only a very short stubble is left in the crop row after the cutting device has passed thereover. Of course, the height of the stubble left will depend. upon the closeness with which the blades are set to the surface of the ground.

At the same time that this cutting action is taking place, the relatively high speed of rotation of the shaft-38 will cause the small pieces suc' cessively cut from the plant to be thrown tan gentially outward from the cutting circle of the blades with considerable velocity, whereby such pieces are scattered and broadcast over a relatively large area. Obviously, because of variations in the individual plants and because of the obstruction of adjoining plants and the air currents set up through the rotation of the blade, such pieces cut from the plant will follow various and sundry directions of travel with the net result of scattering the cut pieces over a relatively large area and in a substantially uniform manner.

It is pointed out that the spacing of the two sets of cutter blades is approximately 30 inches from center to center, this distance being equal to the row spacing most usually and commonly employed for growing crops. Thus, each of the cutter assemblies chops and scatters the plants in one standing row of such plants and, as the device is drawn along the crop rows, two of such rows are simultaneously handled by the machine. Of course, the device may readily be constructed with only one set of chopping blades, or a number, greater than two, of such chopping or cutter blade assemblies may be provided.

For furnishing rotative power to the shaft 31 and thereby the stub shafts 38, a telescoping drive connection 41 extends parallel to and above the center frame member II. The forward end (not shown) of the driving connection 4! is suitably connected to the power take-off (not shown) of the ordinary farm tractor (not shown). The rearward end of the driving connection 41 is connected through a universal joint 48 with a shaft 49 supported above and in alinement with the frame member II by a pillow block bearing 50. The bearing 50 is carried upon a transverse, horizontal plate 5|, welded or otherwise secured to the upper surface of the member I l and rein forced by suitable gussets 52 extending between the underside of the plate and the sides of the member Ii. A similar shaft 53 is mounted upon the frame ll rearwardly of the shaft 49 in a similar fashion, being carried within a pillow block bearing 54 supported upon a plate 55 and gussets 56 substantially identical to the plate 5| and gussets 52. The ends of the shafts 53 and 39 are connected through an override coupling 5! to be described hereinafter. A beveled gear 58 is secured upon the rearward end of the shaft 53 and meshes with a similar beveled gearv 53 secured upon the shaft 31. In this manner, rotation of the connection 41 by means of "the power take-off of the tractor causes rotation of the shafts 49 and 53, and due to the gears 58 and 59, rotation of the shaft 31 and the stub shafts 38. The speed of rotation of the shafts 38 may vary over a considerable range in ac- 'cordance with the particular speed or arrange-- ment of the driving connection of the power take-off. However, a speed of rotation of ap proximately 450 to 550 revolutions per minute has been found quite suitable and provides a device having the desired efficiency of cutting action. Obviously, various other cutting speeds may be employed.

The override connection 51 mounts to a ratchet drive and permits the cutter assembly to continue rotating after rotation of the driving connection 4'! has ceased or has been cut off by stopping of the power take-off of the tractor. Such a situation often occurs when the operator of the device has reached the end of a crop row and stops his tractor in order to turn the same or wishes to cease the chopping operation entirely. The cutter assemblies represented by the shafts 38, the yokes 40 and the cutter blades 44, are relatively heavy and upon reaching a i speed of 400 or 500 revolutions per minute develop a considerable degree of inertia or kinetic energy. Obviously, such inertia represents a considerable force tending to maintain or continue revolutions of the cutter assemblies and a sudden stoppage of the driving connection 47 would place a severe and quite probably destruc-- tive load upon the driving shafts leading to said cutter assemblies. For this reason, the override connection is provided to allow the cutter assemblies to continue their rotation after the driving connection has been stopped, such rotation continuing until the inertia of the assemblies has been dissipated and they may come to rest without placing undue strains on any of the portions or elements of the device.

The connection 51 includes a hub 69 pinned or otherwise secured to the rearward end of the shaft 49 and engaging within a bell 6 l pinned or otherwise secured, upon the forward end of the shaft 53. The forward extremity 62 of the shaft '53 telescopes the hub 50 s as to lend rigidity to the connection. A plurality of teeth 83 are formed on the inner surface of the bell 6i and are adapted to be engaged by a spring-pressed ratchet 6 carried by the hub 60. In this manner, as shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings, the hub may transmit counter-clockwise rotative force to the bell 51, but at the same time the bell may override the hub by causing the teeth 63 to override and depress the pawl Bt. Obviously, any other suitable type of ratchet drive or ratchet connection may be provided between the shafts 89 and 53 to permit the continued-rotation of the shaft 53 after the rotation of the shaft 49 has ceased or ha been stopped.

It is desirable to enclose to some extent the cutter assemblies to prevent the pieces of standing crop which are cut by the blades 4 from being thrown into the air or upon the operator of the tractor which is drawing the cutting device. For this purpose, an elongate rectangular housing 65 overlies and encloses the upper portion of each of the cutter assemblies. The housings 65 have open bottoms 66 through which the cutter assemblies revolve, and have the forwardmost portion of their upper walls El directed downwardly at an angle as shown at 58 in Fig. 1. This downwardly directed portion 58 is sufficient to protectthe operator of the tractor to which the device is connected and to prevent his being struck by small sticks or stones which may be picked up by the cutter blades id and thrown tangentially outwardly therefrom. The forward end 69 of each housing, with the exception of the depending portion 68, is open to permit the egress of a portion of the plant cuttings and at the same time permitting visual inspection by the'operator of the device of the cutting action being achieved by the blades 46.

The housings 65 may be constructed an any desired manner, being preferably formed of sheet metal plates it supported upon an angle iron frame H. A suitable transverse supporting member E2 extends across the forward ends of both of the housings and is secured to the upper side of the central frame member H so as to provide an adequate support for the forward portions of said housings. Similar, short supporting members '13 extend between the contiguous inner sides of the housings adjacent the plate 34 and rest upon and are secured to the upper side of the member ii. The transverse frame member 13 carries a plurality of upstanding brackets l4 secured to its forward side, said brackets having their upper ends secured tothe lower and rear portions of the frames H of the housings;

For controlling the spreading and scattering of the chopped plants, each of the housings 65 carries a short depending skirt 15 at the rearward end of the open bottom 66 of said housings. Similar skirts l6 depend from and are pivoted to theupper edges of the open fronts 69 of the housings and have their upper ends 11 connected to a suitable adjusting means 18 whereby the angular position of the skirts 76 with respect to the housings may be adjusted to vary the deflecting action of such skirts. It has been found that such adjustment is desirable with different crops to al-.v low a maximum of broadcasting'or scattering of the cut pieces of the plants while at the same time insuring adequate protection for the operator of the device.

The operation of this chopping device is believed. to be apparent and obvious from the foregoing description. The connection I2 is secured to the rear end of a suitable farm tractor (not shown) and the driving connection ll properly engaged with the power take-off of such tractor. The

levers 25 may be adjusted to regulate-thecutting cut pieces of plants are scattered in a broadcast and uniform manner over the surface of the ground where they can be later turned under to function as fertilizing material. that the device is equally efficient with respect to dead or dry cropsas well as green crops. This is of particular importance since a green crop which can be cut and scattered immediately after harvesting is considerably more valuable as fertilizing material than a dead or dried crop, and it is a particular advantage of this device that it is capable of cutting up and scattering such green live plants immediately after harvesting of said plants.

There is considerable effort at the present time being directed toward encouraging farmers and growers of cotton and similar crops to conserve insofar as possible the fertilizing value of thestalks and stems of the crops by plowing them under while green. It has been found that much greater benefits are realized by thoroughly cu'tting and shredding the plant stalks immediately after harvesting of the crop. Obviously, ifthis can be done while the stalks remain standing in the field, considerable economic advantages result.

Thi invention realizes these benefits without being excessively expensive or complicated. The green plant stalks, which are very difiicult to cut with previous machines, are thoroughly cut and shredded, and are scattered or broadcast over the field so that they may be turned under wtih the usual farm implements if desired. Also, the condition of the soil, whether wet or dry, does not affect the operation of this invention so long as the ground is not too muddy to support this device. The stalks are cut equally well under wet weather conditions as dry so that the operator may cut and scatter the plant stalks immediately after the crop has been harvested regardless of weather or soil conditions.

It is pointed out "9 In Figs. 7 through 10, is shown a modified form of this stalk cutting .device. This modified form is very similar to the first form described and is identical thereto insofar as the cutter assemblies and the driving connections are concerned. The

same numerals have been employed to designate like portions of the two forms. The primary. and principal differences between the first form" described and the modified form reside in the construction of the supporting frames and the ad-,

justable wheel mountings employed in conjunction with said supporting frame.

In the modified form, the central frame member l l is replaced with a similar member 80 which may be formed of a unitary, elongate section of pipe, or of other suitable material. This central frame member 80 terminates at a point spaced at a short distance rearwardly of the shaft 3'! and carries an upright vertical fram member 8| welded or otherwise suitably secured to its rearward end. The vertical frame member 8| extends upwardly to a point adjacent the upper surface of the housings 65 and receives and supports the central portion of an elongate, transverse, cross frame member 82. The cross frame member 82 extends parallel to the shaft 31 and immediately above the upper surfaces of the housings 65 with its outer ends being disposed immediately outward of the outer side Walls of said housings. The member 82 is preferably welded to the upper end of the vertical member 8| and carries a pair of depending side frames 83 also preferably welded to the outer ends of said member 32. The depending side frames or legs 83 extend downwardly and slightly forwardly from the outer ends of the member 32, one of said legs being disposed adjacent and parallel to the outer side wall of each of the housings 65.

Suitable supporting brackets 84, similar to the brackets 15, are positioned upon the lower extremities of the depending side frames or legs 83, each of the brackets receiving a wheel support 85 similar in all respects to the supports l8 previously described. Any desirable type of ground wheels 86 are carried upon the lower ends of the support 85 in a fashion similar to the wheels 23.

For adjusting the supports 85 and thereby regulating the vertical spacing of the cutting device above the ground surface, an elongate lever 81 is welded or otherwise suitably secured to the upper ends of each of the supports 85 whereby swinging of said levers in a vertical arc will cause swinging of the supports about the brackets 84 with the consequent vertical adjustment of the ground wheels 85. The levers 87 carry the usual handles 88 and triggers 89 linked by rods 90 to any desirable type of pawl 9|. The pawls 9| engage ratchets 92 secured to and carried by the lower ends of the legs 83. Since the latter are rigidly secured and connected through the members BI and 82 to the central frame member 80, adjustment of the levers with respect to the ratchets will result in selective positioning of the supports 35 with respect to the frame of the cutting device and thus result in vertical adjustment of the ground wheels with respect to said frame. For counteracting the tendency of the supports 85 to swing upwardly under the influence of the weight of the chopping or cutting device, a suitable coiled spring 93 is stretched between the lower end of each of the ratchets 92- and the medial portion of each of the levers 81. As will be obvious from an examination of Fig. '7, the force exerted by the springs 93 tends to swing the levers 81 downwardly thus swinging the supmembers.

.vention are substantially identical to 'like elements previously 'desc'ribdin 'connectionwith the first form'bf the invention as indicated in the drawings by the use of the same numerals.

The operation of this modified form is the same as the operation of the first form, and it is not considered necessary to repeat this material at this point.

The foregoing description of the invention is explanatory thereof and various changes in the size, shape and materials, as well as in the details of the illustrated construction may be made, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with a power-driven vehicle having a power take-off, a cutting device for standing crops including, an elongate tubular frame member adapted to have one end attached to a vehicle, a laterally-extending transverse frame member secured to the other end of the first-named frame member and projecting from both sides thereof, side frames secured to the outer ends of the transverse frame member, ground wheels carried on the projecting ends of the side frames, a transverse shaft carried by the first-named member and extending beyond both sides thereof, cutter reels secured upon the .extending portions of the shaft with the side frame so as to cut swaths parallel to the first-named frame member, a driving connection between the power take-off of the vehicle and the shaft, a ratchet in the driving connection, means for adjusting the ground wheels to regulate the height of the frame members and the reels above the surface of the ground, housings enclosing the upper portions of the reels, and adjustable defiector skirts depending from the forward portions of the housings.

2. A pull-type cutting device for simultaneously cutting two adjacent rows of standing crops including, an elongate central frame member adapted to be attached at its front end to a vehicle and to extend substantially longitudinally of the path of travel of the vehicle substantially between the two adjacent crop rows, a transverse frame member carried by the central frame member, ground wheels supporting the central frame member, the wheels being pivotally mounted to support the outer ends of the transverse frame member, a rotatable cutting structure having cutting blades carried by the central frame member and positioned to cut the adjacent crop rows along each side of the central frame member, said structure having an axis of rotation and being positioned with its axis of rotation at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the central frame member, the transverse frame member being disposed adjacent a vertical transverse plane passing along the axis of rotation of the cutting structure whereby the area in front of the cutting blades is unobstructed and the croprows may enter the cutting area in upright positions, a driving connection for rotating the cut- 11 12 ting structure arranged to be connected with the Number" Name Date vehicle for driving, and a ratchet in the drivin 974,219 Werner Nov. 1, 1910 connection. 7 1,144,013 Weitman June 22, 1915 JAMES B. JARMIN. 1,286,816 Smith Dec. 3, 1918 1,744,479 Lind ren et a1 Jan. 21, 1930 References Citfid in the file Of this patent 5 2 250 103 Lockg et 1 July 22 1941 UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,279,652 Beard Apr. 14, 1942 N 2,335,112 Fulks Nov. 23, 1943 $22 iggz gi 2,465,488 Sears et a1 Mar. 29, 1949 527,302 Vsry Oct. 9, 1894 630,947 Ferrell Aug. 15, 1899 

